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We often use the trivial question of whether one sees the glass half full or half empty to discuss pessimism and/or optimism. I personally feel that both these philosophies are intertwined with an ultimate aim of reaching the golden equilibrium. Maybe a state where pragmatism dictates everything else. And that is when pragmatism asks its usual question – whether your desires match with what you deserve?

I think this very tryst with handling the tight rope walk between taking a step forward and looking over the shoulder into the past is what fizzled up in the following poem. Every challenge and every struggle reiterates the need to perceive.. the need to persevere… again and again..

Disclaimer: This is the first time I have attempted to write a poem in my mother tongue, Marathi. Apologies to the readers who do not understand the language. Although I tried to come up with a translation, I don’t think I would be able to do a good job at it. To all those who understand Marathi, feel free to comment and critique. I would be more than happy to know what you feel about the poem. For those who want to give translation a shot, you are most welcome.. 🙂

ओंझळीत तू घेउनी स्वप्ने,

घे भरारी उंच नभा,

हेच व्हायचे पुनः पुनः.

*

पुनः एकदा नवीन आशा,

जुनी वळणे , नव्या दिशा,

पुढे जायच्या घाईमध्ये ,

क्षणभर मागे वळून पहा,

हेच व्हायचे पुनः पुनः.

*

पुनः एकदा नवीन नाती,

जुने रण, अन् नवी नीती,

गुंत्यांच्या ह्या गुंत्यामध्ये,

मुक्तछंद तू विहरत राहा,

हेच व्हायचे पुनः पुनः.

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There are so many words that we use so casually in our day to day conversations without actually realizing that they could mean something so very different in true sense. I was speaking with a respectable senior from my family a few days back who was extremely interested in knowing what were my plans in life in general. His questions were so typical of his generation – Where do you want to see yourself after ten years? Have you thought of the future? And a series of such innocuous questions followed. Of course innocuous to my generation. 😉

The word to be highlighted here is ‘generation’. I have been enlightened of late that I belong to the “Generation Y” also called as the Millennia. I represent the generation transitioning from Generation X to Generation Z. Coming to think of it, Generation X is the one which is completely overwhelmed by the technological advancements that mankind has seen in the past four decades and Generation Z is the one which is completely agnostic to a world without technology. While the prior has a more cynical and jaundiced opinion about every step taken ahead, the latter cannot even imagine a world without the internet. Both the generations have definitive traits and have been quantified very impressively in the pew research publication here: http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1437/millennials-profile

The instigation for me to know more about the generation that I am being labeled into came from this family member. The moment I answered his questions with an evident bit of nonchalance, he cited my father’s example stating that when he was of my age, he was crystal clear with where he wanted to see himself eventually. Along with stating that I waste tones of useful time in just posting status updates on Facebook and browsing the internet in general, what bothered me more was the typecasting of the entire clan.

Although my parents are getting to be technologically savvy, for the only reason that they want to make use of the available channels to communicate with me (Yeah! They have not abandoned me yet 😛 ), I do not feel that they are as passionate about it as anyone from my generation is. We are truly the most socially connected generation. Alongside, we appreciate a world devoid of technology as successfully as the one that we live in. One of my friends who is well placed in an awesome company, content, so to say happened to mention that it could have been really difficult for him to get to where he is now without the aid of social networking. The point being that we are more receptive to being socially participative than others.

Well, this argument didn’t satiate my listener in any way. However, I must say that there was one question that made so much more sense than the others – to know what are you here for?

Isn’t this the most fundamental question of any philosophy or any mythology – to understand the reason for one’s existence? How blissful would it be to know the answer to this question and the definitions of success or failure would just fall in place and the conundrum called life would simply transform into a wonderfully hummable song. Well, coming to reality filled with dilemmas, confusions and answer-less questions is difficult indeed… Being Millennial! 🙂